Utility kit



Nov. 2, 1943. J. A. WAGNER UTILITY KIT Filed May 5, 1941 IN l-"EN TOR.JAMEs A. WAGNEE A T TOENEYS.

Patented Nov. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a utility kit, and more specifically to acompact container which is divided into several compartments so thattoilet articles, such as shaving equipment, comb and toothbrush, a shoepolishing outfit, etc., may be separately placed therein in anaccessible manner for ready use whenever required.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplifythe construction and operation of kits of the character described, toprovide a kit of the character described which may contain all theessentials in the line of toilet articles, shoe-brushing andclothes-brushing equipment, etc., to maintain a proper appearance whenserving as a soldier, or when traveling, or camping; to provide a kit inthe form of a small container or cabinet in which the articles requiredare stored in separate compartments for quick and handy removal orreplacement; and further, to provide means for readily closing thecompartments to prevent loss or displacement of articles while the kitis carried or packed while traveling.

The kit is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, inwhich Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the kit showing two of the brushesremoved and showing some of the compartments open;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shoe brush;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on line III-III of Fig.

Fig, 4 is a perspective view of the dauber or brushwhereby shoe polishor paste is applied;

Fig. 5 is a central vertical longitudinal section taken on line V-V ofFig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly Figs. 1, 3, 5 and6, A indicates a rectangular base member which is provided with anupturned flange forming a pair of ends 2-2 and a pair of sides 3-3therefor. Placed at each end of the base member are two uprights,generally indicated at B and C, which are channel shaped incross-section. Each upright comprises a web or back portion 4 and a pairof flanges or sides 5-5. These flanges are bent at right angles to formsecondary inturned flanges 6-6, the purpose of which will hereinafterappear. The uprights B and C are soldered, spot-welded, or otherwisesecured between the flanges 2 and 3 of the base A, and their upper endsare similarly secured by a top or cover plate D, this being flanged asat l to make the connection as rigid and secure as possible, rigiditybeing further increased by a partition plate E disposed between the topand base and the inner portions of the uprights B and C and secured inplace by welding, soldering or the like.

The structure so far described forms four separate compartments, twocompartments 8 and 9 one on each side of the plate E, and twocompartments l0 and l i, one at each end. The compartments 8 and 9 maybe subdivided into further compartments by partition members I2 andthese compartments may be closed by doors or plates I4 and I5 hinged asat 15 to the base side flanges 3-3, and when closed may be secured inany suitable manner, as by spring latches ll. The compartments closed bythe doors l4 and I5 are particularly intended for the reception ofvarious toilet articles such as tooth brush and paste, shavingequipment, scissors, nail files, needles and thread, and, in fact,anything of a personal nature desired,

The end compartment I0 is provided for the reception of a shoe brush l8and a paste or polish applying brush IS. The sides of the shoe'brush aregrooved as shown at 20 to receive and to be retained by the secondaryinturned flanges 6-6. One end of the brush head is extended, as at 2 I,to form a closure and retainer for the brush l9, which is placedinnermost in the compartment II! when packed in the kit. A clothes brush23 is placed in the compartment II in the same manner as the shoe brush.The handle of the clothes brush is also extended and as such forms aclosure for a compartment 24 formed by a partition plate 25. Bothbrushes are readily removed by merely grasping them at their upper endsso that they may be pulled upwardly and out of their respectivecompartments. Replacement is 1 just as readily accomplished by reversal'of'the operation, and when the brushes are inserted the backs of thebrushes form closures for the respective compartments.

Every essential item required for personal appearance and grooming byarmy and navy men, travellers, campers, etc., may be contained in a kitof the character here disclosed, and as all the compartments are closedwhen the kit is not required, loss or displacement of the severalarticles contained is avoided. The construction employed renders the kitexceedingly rigid and compact, so that it may be packed or carried asdesired. A bail 38 forms a pivoted handle to facilitate carrying, andwhile this and other features of my invention have been more or lessspecifically described and illustrated, I nevertheless wish itunderstood that changes may be resorted to ber in back to back spacedfixed relation, oneat. each end of the base member and forming end"chambers and an intermediaiefcham-ber, aic'over plate for theintermediate chamber having. longitudinally projecting spaced lateralflangeportions overlying and secured to the upper outer side faces ofthe end chambers to brace the latter at their upper ends' to firmlysustain the end chambers on' the' said base member, leaving the" endchambers openatthe front and top.

2. A portable container of the character described comprising arelatively narrow, rectangularl-y' shaped basemember, a pair of sepa-"rate 'vertically disposed channel-shaped members, each of less depththan one-half the length of'the base member rigidly mounted on the basemember in back toback spaced fixed relation, one a t-each end of thebase'mem'ber and forming end-'chambers andan intermediate chamber, acover *plateior the intermediate chamber having longitudinallyprojecting angular spaced nange'portlonsoverlying the upper edges and 2;

upper outer: side faces of the end chambers-and secured to the lattertobrace-the end chambers at their'upper ends to firmly sustain: the'endchambersom "the said: base. member, leaving the end chambers open at thefront and top, closures, one: hinged-at its lower end tothe containertor eachside of the intermediate chamber and each; closure: at itsuupperend being detachably connechedfto; said cover: plate;

3....A:portable.. container: of the character descxtbed a; relativelynarrow: rectnlyshapedli bane. member; a. pair at verdisposed channel;shaped. members, each ofyless depth. than'one halfl thtei lengtlrzof thebasexmmiter 'rigidlgi'mxmnted on: the basememhenziimxbacli toback'spaced fixedi reiation,..one

'ltreachrend I etc the: base: member andz'fiorming 'endl: chambers an.intermediate chamber; a *caverrpdate for the: intermediate'chamber, eachofthe endrchambers being open; atthertop, and armirnying handle bridgingsaid; cover: and havintumed: ends extending beneath. the-same throughthe.- open r tops. of the end; chambers and mounted; invthe bachwarllsoftheend chambers.

4;. A portable-container of the character. described comprising arelatively narrow rectangula'rly/ shaped base member having. a:.mar-

'ginali upstandingfiange arpa-ir ofverticall-y disposed channel shapedmembers, each of a, depth lesstztihan'one-halfz thelengthof. the base.member rig-idly mountedron: the base.- member within the base memberflange and in back to back spaced fixed relation, one at each end of thebase member and forming end chambers and an intermediate chamber, acover plate for the intermediate chamber, the outer side walls of theend chambers being flanged forming guides, and

brushes, each having their heads provided with longitudinal groovesalong their sides for longitudinal movement over the said guide flangesof the end chambers for movement of the bristles vertically into andout'of the' end chambers through the permanently open tops of the latter"with the upper ends of the brushes viewable through the constantly opentops of the end chambers.

5... A portable container of the character described comprising arectangular shaped base member, a pair of upwardly extending connectedside and. end flanges on the base, a pair of verticall'y positionedmembers channel-shaped in cross sectiomdi'sposed one at each end of the.base and secured between the side and endflanges,

the web portion of each channel-shaped member being, disposed. innermostand spaced from the? back of the-other channelshaped member to formapair of outwardly opening end chambers and providev an intermediatechamber, a flanged cover plate extending from the web of onechannel-shapedmember to-the web of the other channel-Pshaped 'member andsecured thereto, so as to; sustain the spaced channel shapedrmembers i-nupright position: on the base member, the cover plate having upstandingprojections thereon, a'closure member for: each side-of the intermediatechamber hinged to'the respective side flange of the base, and meanscarried: in --the upper portionof each of said closures to. extendbeyondthe upper ends. of. the closuresandoverlapthe cover plate and connectwith the projections on the cover plate to maintain the: closuresinelosed position.

6. A portable container of the character described, comprising arelatively narrow, rectangularly shapedbase member, a pairciverticallydisposed channel. shaped members, each of. lessdepth than one-halfthelength of. the

basemember rig-idlymounted on thebase member in back to back.spacedflxed relation one ateachwendv of. the base member and forming rend. chambers and an intermediate chamber therebetween, the endchambers'being; uncovered at the top-and. front, a' member secured to,the

upperends of said channel members and formingea cover plate: forthe-intermediate chamber, and a closuremember including a brush havingits headz'detachably connected with the open front of each of thechannel shapedendmembars with the brush bristles confined within thechamber of the end members in spaced relation to the backs of therespective end. members; the bristles atthe upper end. of each ,brush'lying below.- the horizontal plane 'of the; aforesaid. cover plate. ofthe intermediate chamber and being visible through: the: upper uncoveredend chambers of. said end members.

JAMES A. WAGNER.

